Cultural Differences
by Ueste
Summary: Kurogane knew that they came from different worlds, but he never expected this! KuroFai.
1. Truth or Dare

**AN: Well, I wasn't going to post this for a while, but I got fed up with fiddling with it. I know I could make it better, but this is as good as I'm willing to spend the time to get it. (This does NOT mean that I won't appreciate reviews critiquing my writing. They're what I live for, people!). This is multichapter, but again I'm being lazy and posting them all at once.**

**Warnings: Shonen-ai, yaoi hints if you squint**

**Pairing: KuroXFai**

**Rating: Mid-teens**

**Summary: Kurogane new that their worlds were different, but he never expected this!**

**Disclaimer: ehem (speech voice) I do not own it. (wheew, glad that's over with)**

Cultural Differences

**Prologe: Truth or Dare?**

Kurogane could _not_ get the point of this game. As far as he could tell, the only outcome was humiliation for the victim and laughs for everyone else. Pure stupidity. It was a mystery how everyone at the party had gotten roped into playing it.

Sakura leaned over and spun the bottle in front of her. It landed facing Kurogane (somehow the bottle always landed on a person, not pointing in between two people. Another mystery). "Truth or dare, Kurogane-san?"

Kurogane suppressed a groan. Everyone else was having far much more fun than this game warranted. He, for one, was _not _having fun. But he couldn't back out now with a proud face. "Truth" he grumbled.

Fai immediately leaned over to Sakura and whispered something in her ear. She looked surprised, before asking; "Kurogane-san, did you have a crush on Tomoyo-chan in Piffle world?"

"What! Absolutely not!" Kurogane sputtered. Just leave it to the Mage to think up such an annoying question. A crush on Tomoyo! Like it wasn't perfectly obvious that ---

Syaoran interrupted Kurogane's fuming. "Kurogane-san, it's your turn to spin."

Kurogane gave the bottle an angry twist, hard enough that it spun around half a dozen times before settling on Fai. "Truth or Dare?" asked Kurogane, an evil gleam starting to show in his eyes.

"Dare!" giggled Fai. He assumed he was avoiding the worst of Kuro-tan's wrath by avoiding any sort of question on his past. But then he wasn't so sure when Kuro-myu flashed a wicked looking grin.

"I dare you to use your magic."

"I'd rather not, Kuro-woof," Fai smiled a serene and _very_ annoying smile.

"Oh, please, I second the dare!" cried one of the young girls playing (thinking of card tricks and disappearing acts).

"I third it!" Cried another.

"The dare's been voted in. That means," the boy who spoke had pretty much taken them under his wing in this world, and invited them to the neighborhood's party, "That if you don't do it, you have to do whatever else Kurogane-san tells you to do for three whole days."

Fai considered for a moment. "Alright, Kuro-pipi, what do you want me to do first?" he gave a huge, totally fake grin.

**AN: Review! Please!**

**P.S. I meant no offense to fans of KurogneXTomoyo. Sorry if this fic bothered you!**


	2. A STupid Decision

**Chapter One: A Stupid Decision**

Kurogane wasn't enjoying himself much, but that was still a lot more than he had in a long time. It was a day and a half into Fai's three. The very first thing Kurogane had done was put an end to Fai's silly nicknames. And he had managed to eat four entire meals without any of Fai's stupid sweets. Fai had been forced into doing a series of chores while Kurogane relaxed. But lately Kurogane had been pondering an absolutely idiotic idea, and was having a great deal of difficulty making up his mind about it. It was definitely cutting into his relaxation.

Right now, both of the men were in Kurogane's room. Fai was busy folding clothes (and trying to keep in mind that Kurogane had forbidden humming, even while doing reeeeeealy boring tasks), and Kurogane was polishing his sword and thinking. He looked up to watch Fai move about. Even in doing such a simple task, he seemed to dance.

Fai sensed Kurogane watching him, and turned around. "Kurogane-sama?" he said curiously.

Kurogane was silent for a brief moment, and then he made his decision. He knew it was a stupid decision, and that he should forget about is idea completely, and that he would probably regret it, and that he was being an idiot, but he did it anyways. Kurogane stood up, laying his sword on the bed behind him. "Come here," he said to the Mage.

Fai danced over to stand in front of the taller man. Kurogane was silent, still not completely sure of what he was about to do. He reached up hesitantly to brush a lock of hair out of Fai's eyes. _I wish I knew what you were thinking._ How could eyes so deep hide things so well? But they simply looked up at him curiously. Not a hint of his feelings showed through.

_It's now or never_. Kurogane told himself, hardly believing what he was about to do. Before he could have second thoughts, he bent down and pushed his lips against the Wizard's.

Fai's eyes widened in surprise, and he pushed Kurogane back "What . . .?" he questioned.

Kurogane didn't look at him. His reaction was enough, he didn't need to see the Mage's face as well. He realized his own face must be bright red. "I-I'm sorry. I thought that maybe . . ."Kurogane couldn't bring himself to finish._ Baka! Idiot! _He turned away from Fai and started towards the door.

"Kurogane-san?"

Fai's question stopped him. Kurogane swallowed, and said without emotion: "It's Kuro-tan. I release you from the rest of your services." And he hurried out before Fai could say anything else.


	3. Cultural Differences

**Chapter Two: Cultural Differences**

Dinner was a long affair. Kurogane was totally silent, picking at his food and ignoring everybody. Fai ate quietly as well. He kept throwing glances at Kurogane out of the side of his eyes and opening his mouth to say something, then changing his mind and shutting it again.

Fai finished eating quickly and excused himself, going upstairs to the bedrooms. Kurogane continued to pick at his food for a while longer before excusing himself as well.

Sakura watched him get up from the table and then hurried up herself. She through her arms around Kurogane in a big bear hug, and looked up at him with a warm smile. "Don't be sad, Kurogane-san. I'm sure you and Fai-san will be alright."

Kurogane looked shocked for a moment and then smiled wanly back. "Thanks" he said simply before turning away. _Yes, we will be alright_ he thought as he climbed up the stairs to his room. _It's the fact that we won't be alright_ together_ that bothers me._

Kurogane stepped into his room and closed the door behind him. He turned to face the bed and paled, his thoughts screeching to a freezing halt. Fai sat on the bed immersed on one of Kurogane's magazines. Kurogane turned silently around to leave. The door was locked.

"Kuro-chuu."

Kurogane didn't turn around. His hand on the door handle was going white from gripping it so hard. Kurogane started to talk, stopped, swallowed and tried again.

"What?" Kurogane had tried to make it sound annoyed, like the Mage was being his usual bothersome self, but it came out squeaky and scarred sounding.

"Oh, Kuro-ron. . ." Fai said sadly and came up behind Kurogane, forcefully turning the bigger man around to face into the room.

Kurogane remained silent, looking at the floor somewhere to Fai's left.

Fai looked up at Kurogane searchingly. "Kuro-pyu . . . I'm sorry. You obviously did something really important, and I didn't react how I should of. I just don't understand." Fai shook his head in exaggerated sadness.

Kurogane starred at Fai in pure shock, all awkwardness and fear momentarily forgotten. "Wha--" he started, "How much more obvious do I have to get?"

Fai shook his head. "We come from different worlds, Kuro-rin. Different cultures. What's obvious to you isn't necessarily obvious to me."

Kurogane stared for a moment, wondering what to say, blushing madly, and still being a complete idiot. Finally, he stammered " I- I l-love you."

Fai looked at him curiously. "You mean I'm like a brother to you?"

Kurogane blushed even harder. "N-no. More like a . . ." Kurogane searched for the right words.

"An Uncle?" supplied Fai "A son? A King? A friend?"

Kurogane shook his head, wondering how hot his face could get before it melted. He tried again. "Like a . . . a boyfriend."

Fai fell silent.

"Kuro-myu, that doesn't work." Fai didn't look embarrassed, or upset. Just confused.

"Why not?!" demanded Kurogane fiercely. He had started this, he had confessed his feelings after so long of trying to let them go, and there was no way now that he was going to back down (even if he was an idiot for doing it).

"Well . . . .because you're a guy."

"So?"

Fai looked shocked. that was not the response he'd been expecting. For a long moment (very very very long) he didn't say anything, and then burst out in a rush of words; "But . . . but I'm a guy too, and . . . . . . ah . . .and . . ." Fai finally stepped back and sagged onto the edge of the bed, looking up wonderingly at Kurogane. "Wow. I never thought . . ."

Kurogane walked over silently and sat next to Fai. "You don't have same-sex pairings in your country?"

Fai shook his head. "It's . . . I never thought . . . it never occurred to me that we could . . ." the mage had always talked easily; it was strange now to be at such a loss for words. "I . . .I suppose you'll want an answer?"

Kurogane didn't say anything, but Fai interpreted his silence for the hesitant affirmative it was. The smaller man stood up and walked a little ways away, seeming to search for his answer outside the bedroom window.

"I . . . I'm not sure, Kurorin. I feel . . . different with you then when I'm with anybody else. Safer and . . . and happier. And when I'm not with you I'm thinking about you. And when I think that one day we're going to come to your Nihon and you're going to stay there while I move on . . . I –I want so much for that day to never come. But I never thought that it could be _love_!


	4. Finding an Answer

**Chapter Three: Finding an Answer**

Fai lay in bed looking up at the ceiling. It was almost eleven; he'd been there for over an hour. He'd asked Kurogane to please give him some time to think. This was all so knew to him, he just didn't know what was what. He'd promised Kurogane an answer in the morning, but could tell from the other's quickly hidden disappointment that Kurogane thought he knew what the answer would be.

It was much more difficult to figure out than Fai thought it would be. How do you decide if you love someone? Fai mused on something he remembered from long ago, a way of comparing feelings towards different people to figure out how you felt. How did it go again?

Fai created a picture in his mind. He added in every detail he could, making it as real as possible. It was Sakura, wounded, dead. Fai felt a wave of sadness before he changed the picture. Now it was Syaoran, now Mokona. He went through every person he could ever remember knowing. His feelings ranged from a deep sadness to glee. Finally there was only one left: Kurogane. Fai formed the picture, carefully adding detail – and let it go with a gasp at the pure anguish he had felt. He lay their shaking for a moment before recovering enough to try the next test.

Fai had gone through everything he could remember but one. Each pointed towards what was becoming a more and more obvious answer. Time for the last one. Fai took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He imagined Kurogane's wait pressing down on top of him, hands running over his body . . .

When Fai woke up in the morning he knew what his answer was.


	5. What Can Be

**Epilogue: What Can Be**

Fai lay on the wide double bed. Darkness fell early in this country; everyone had turned in for the night. Fai was smiling quietly to himself while Kurogane undressed next to him.

"What are you smiling at?" Kurogane grumbled as he slid into bed next to the mage.

Fai turned to face the Ninja. "What was it, what you did before?"

"What?"

"When you pressed your lips against mine, what was it? Is there a word for that?"

Kurogane stared at him disbelievingly. "You don't have kisses in your country either?"

"A kiss," Fai turned back over on his back and smiled up at the ceiling, savoring the word. "I like that. It sounds like a little present."

"You come from a messed up country," declared Kurogane. He shifted over and proceeded to show Fai exactly what a kiss could be.

**AN: Well, that's it. I wasn't originally planning on doing an Epilogue, but the idea jumped at me and I had to seize it like a rabid hamster before it burrowed away into the tall, dark recesses of my forgotten stories storage bin (If you ever find that bin, please tell me where it is! I seem to have forgotten)**

**Please review! I'm not sensitive at all. If you butcher my story I'll love you forever (well, maybe). Flames welcomed, just review!**


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